


Excieo

by jeejaschocolate



Series: Unus et Solus [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Animal-like tendencies, Claiming, Dry Humping, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, Kindness, M/M, Multiple Orgasms, Omega!Ardyn, Scenting, Soul Bond, acceptance issues, alpha!Noctis, humanized villains, physiological changes in regards to abo dynamic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 04:43:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11177295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeejaschocolate/pseuds/jeejaschocolate
Summary: (Written for a prompt on the kinkmeme)Most people are betas. Every so often, an alpha’s presence triggers a certain response within a beta, turning them into something else—an “omega,” irresistibly drawn to the alpha that awakens them. Their true soulmate.Ardyn is fine being a beta. It keeps him neutral, detached. Able to pull strings from the sidelines. Gives him some distance (well, more distance, added to his immortality and two thousand years worth of spiteful, daemon-fueled drudgery.)Then he meets Noctis. The Chosen King and an alpha…





	Excieo

**Author's Note:**

> Excieo = Latin verb, singular transitive conjugation; meaning: 1) to call out, to summon 2) to awaken 3) to disturb 4) to frighten 5) to stir up, excite 6) to produce, occasion
> 
> [A prompt](https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/3451.html?thread=4236411#cmt4236411) on the meme asked for “a strange ABO AU where the alpha who makes the omega present is kind of like their soul mate. So most omegas are never 'awakened' and live their lives as betas.” The OP asked for omega!Noctis and alpha!Ardyn—which totally works. But I got really into the idea of [the reverse](https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/3451.html?thread=4240763#cmt4240763) (because, right??). Can’t remember ever seeing omega!Ardyn before. And it’s necessary! So I prompted that, then got too excited and just filled it myself ;) 
> 
> To the OP of that first prompt, who was on board with this idea: Muah <3 Much love! I had fun.

Being the heir apparent to the throne was all well and good. Such an exciting time. The crisp crackle of stolid eagerness and a willingness to sit in a place of ultimate power. Prestige beyond reckoning. 

Although perhaps, Ardyn considered, tapping his fingers against his leg in anticipation, it was less exciting for the Chosen One. 

He sat in the throne room alongside Ravus and a few other Niflheim dignitaries. They were meeting with Regis and the royal Lucian entourage today to hammer out the final details of the peace treaty. The treaty, of course, was a farce orchestrated by Ardyn and the rest of his cohorts. In a way, Ardyn thought Regis already knew that. The resigned look in the old king’s eyes was enough of a giveaway.

How fun.

Really, Noctis could hardly be chomping at the bit to become a withered old man like Regis. Ardyn surveyed the current king before him with a fair amount of shock. Regis looked _terrible._ Hobbled, hair grey before his time, wrinkled at the level of a man at least twice his age.

The Crystal working its special magic. 

For a moment, Ardyn’s jaw clenched in his mouth. He kept his smile firmly on his lips and steadied the surge of hatred in his chest.

He could sense the Crystal. Even from here in the throne room, not even close to where the Lucians stored their coveted God-rock. Ardyn felt the thrum of that infamous, inimitable Crystal’s energy. Somewhere below them. Maybe…a league or so underground? Ardyn stretched out with his consciousness, feeling the tongues of the Crystal’s ethereal presence wagging uselessly beneath his feet. He prodded the Crystal’s magic aura with his own, in amusement. He felt the way it balked and shrunk back against his unholy touch. 

Oh come now, Ardyn thought (stopping himself from speaking aloud at the very last second). Don’t be so coy with me. Old friends, are we not? 

_Hungry. So, so hungry. Needs more life. More more more more…_

Ardyn sighed as he listened to the daemon’s babbling thoughts inside his mind. The daemons were admittedly quieter here in the Citadel. Battered into timidity by the Crystal. Their thoughts were less coherent, reduced to primal urges. 

Naturally, the daemons were thirsty. Just as the Crystal was thirsty for its next heir. Regis’s waning health meant the rock would be craving the life force of the incumbent prince. Someone new to leech off of. 

Ardyn shook his head. How he longed to see that Crystal destroyed. Smashed into a thousand pieces. A mouthful of spit right in the Draconian’s eye. 

This fantasy is what had kept Ardyn going these past two thousand years.

Well, that. And the promise of the Chosen King—the King of Light, a prophet chosen by the Astrals who would chase away all the darkness. Presumably destroying the Scourge. The Accursed. That is to say, Ardyn.

Ardyn honestly could not wait to meet this True King. He had seen pictures of him recently. Black hair, messy. Shining blue eyes that glimmered with a clarity beyond his years. Petulant. The product of a royal upbringing in an era of modern comforts. Childish. 

Ardyn did not know what to make of Noctis. He had seen the boy only once before, when Noctis was born. Right after the boy was proclaimed to be the Chosen One. As soon as he heard that, Ardyn masqueraded himself as a servant (such an easy thing, alarmingly simple really) and stole a glance at Noctis sleeping in his crib. 

A baby. A normal human baby. That’s what Ardyn had perceived about Noctis at the time. He literally laughed out loud when he saw Noctis like that. It was hilarious—a soft squishy baby, after all these years, was what would bring about Ardyn’s demise? This defenseless _human_ was what the Astrals had pinned all their faith upon? 

Unbelievable. It made Ardyn’s head spin. At the same time he wanted to bite his tongue to keep from going mad with laughter. 

He despised this little prince from the very second he had laid eyes on him. The Chosen One. Nothing—purely _nothing_ —compared to everything Ardyn had become over the millennia. 

But years had passed since that day. Noctis was already twenty years old. A young man. Ardyn could not stomach the thought of seeing Noctis again in person after that first time, so he just surveyed Noctis’s movements from a distance. Watched him grow up. 

And of _course_ , Ardyn noted dully, Noctis had presented as an alpha. Somewhere around his sixteenth birthday. How predictable. Boring. Most Lucian royal heirs presented as alphas. Regis was an alpha. As was Mors. And his father before him, and his father…and so on. In fact, almost all the royalty contained within the Ring of the Lucii were alphas, even the queens. (Maybe the Clever King was a beta. …Was he? Ah, Ardyn could hardly remember anymore.) 

Ardyn believed that back in his time, when he was a young man, the first royal heir to present as a beta had been…well, himself. A complete oddity at the time. The revelation of his second gender (or, in his case, the lack of one) was unheard of.

The first strike against him. One of many down the road. 

_“An inauspicious pronouncement…”_ the royal advisors said at the time. And who could blame them.

Betas were treated with a fair amount of respect (more like indifference, generally). But they did not command the same obedience that alphas did. They simply did not possess the pheromones necessary to curb people’s willingness into obligation. The raw sex appeal. Et cetera, et cetera. 

Furthermore, betas born into positions of public scrutiny were regarded as ticking time bombs in a lot of ways. When would it happen? Would it ever happen? Would they meet that magical **one** and change into the other thing…the thing people hardly ever talked about in polite society? 

(An omega.) 

Ardyn remembered being sequestered from all contact with alphas when he first presented. His parents and the kingdom itself had been terrified. Their fear seeped into Ardyn himself and eventually the former prince became terrified of ever stepping foot in front of an alpha. Gripped with terror that his body would suddenly change and everything he knew would be turned on its head. That he would feel drawn to someone, dependent upon someone else in a way that was written into his very veins…his genes…

The first time he ran into an alpha was by accident. A visiting dignitary who did not know about Ardyn’s quarantine. As soon as Ardyn got a mouthful of that unmistakable alpha scent, he thought that was it. He was done for.

(…How could a king become an omega? It was one thing for common betas here and there to meet their **one** , then get married and live a decent life. Dependent upon their alpha, but, if the alpha was worthy and dignified, he or she would protect their omega until death. They could have a family. It was…fine, if a little uncomfortable. People squirmed when they thought about the concept of omega-hood, of irresistible sexual attraction and a fierce, unshakable kind of love. Mostly, omegas were a thing to be appreciated in pornography. Dirty talk. Erotica. Blue films. That kind of thing.

But certainly not a _king_ … He would be entirely at the will of his mate. And what if this mate did not have the best interest of Lucis at heart? What if this mate was a thrall, seeking nothing but political gains? 

Where would the kingdom be then?)

Yet, Ardyn had survived that encounter with the alpha dignitary. He exhaled, recognized the man in front of him, nodded his greetings, and went about as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

And it wasn’t. That alpha did not change Ardyn. Nor did the next several that Ardyn so riskily forced himself to meet. 

He was not moved by any of them. 

It made Ardyn laugh, even then. That everyone faffed about in such dramatics, worried about him changing at even the slightest whiff of an alpha. When really…Ardyn could not care less about any of those knot-obsessed alphas. He was totally immune to the allure of dynamic sex. 

He was stronger than the alphas, Ardyn realized eventually. He did not crave attention from an omega, did not hunger for dominance the way they did. And he certainly did not go into rut every few months or so (the specifics of which were still a little unclear to Ardyn, as ruts were also a rather undignified time, and most alphas—at least those in the palace—were sequestered until their time passed). 

So, against the advice of his family and the chamberlains, Ardyn removed himself from quarantine and went out into the world. He felt free, confident. Let those alphas run themselves ragged chasing after the scent of an omega in heat. Ardyn had better things to do with his time.

When it was discovered that Ardyn had healing powers, well. That was chalked up to his unusual dynamic. Surely a man of such high birth with such a nondescript second gender would have some kind of preternatural ability. So, Ardyn began his healing work, traveling all throughout Lucis and even beyond, healing people of the Scourge.

He was, from time to time, still taken with that fear. The fear that somewhere—lurking, perhaps—in the wide world was an alpha that could change him, take away his pride…it was…

But whenever this fear took him, Ardyn assured himself that his will was strong. Even if he did change, that did not mean he needed to let himself be mated. He could refuse his **one.** …Probably, anyway. He could fight the changes in his body, the sex drive. Surely. He could move on with his life like nothing was amiss. 

After all, it was difficult for Ardyn to imagine such intense need. Betas had fairly active sex drives, but nothing out of the ordinary. Ardyn found himself attracted to people now and then, men and women, alphas and betas. He even ran into a few omegas in his line of work. They seemed…well, more or less the same. But their scents were sweeter. Floral. Like sugar coated berries or willow leaves dipped in honey. Ardyn did not find the omega scent particularly offensive, nor did he find it enthralling.

It just…was.

But the past had not been kind to Ardyn. Obviously. After his fall from grace, Ardyn was cast into darkness for years upon years. Left as fodder for the daemons residing in his soul. Fueled by his hatred for the Chosen One and his desire to end the Lucian line once and for all. 

So. Suffice to say, Ardyn had enjoyed a long list of depravities in his time. Sexual depravities right at the top. He had enjoyed sex with other betas, with other alphas, and even with a few (more or less willing) omegas. It was all so savory. His favorite thing, admittedly, was to watch an alpha and omega (a mated pair, or sometimes perhaps not mated, just lonely and needy) going to work on each other. Ardyn had paid good money for such experiences in the past. He also, when he was lucky enough, could convince people to do all kinds of things for him. For free. Or, mostly. 

Ardyn liked the distance. He could get off on the wild scent of dynamic sex—something like the smell of magic or brisk nature at its finest—and feel nothing afterwards. He could take advantage of people’s needs, of their inherent drives and desires, without dipping his toe into the same waters. Alphas needed to feel superior, they hungered for an omega’s dripping wet entrance offered up on a plate. Simple things that were easy enough to obtain. 

Everyone had their strings, Ardyn realized. It was not so difficult to discover what moved them. 

As for his **one** , well. Ardyn figured that poor man or woman had died some time ago. Would hardly be the first time an alpha died without meeting their true mate. In fact, most betas lived and died without ever turning. A meeting between two soulmates was nothing but chance, after all. And the science behind such a connection still offered little, even in the present day. 

No one knew what made two people bind together in such a way. But, meeting your **one** was a rare and secretly sought after occasion. 

How sad, Ardyn thought with a small grin every time the notion crossed his mind. His **one** had died all alone, searching, never knowing that their true mate had become a monster bearing all of humanity’s curse. 

He hoped they died unfulfilled. It gave him a small flicker of glee to think that. 

“…Is there something else His Majesty requires?” Ravus tossed haughtily to the king’s strongest captain. A man named Drautos, who was actually working for Niflheim. (Did Ravus know that? Ardyn wondered distantly. Was he in on the little scam? Maybe Ardyn should inform the poor boy before he made a fool out of himself…) 

“My son is on his way,” Regis announced before Drautos could respond. The other Lucians in attendance (Clarus the King’s Shield, Cor the Immortal, and a handful of necessary advisors) stiffened pointedly at the words. They seemed ill at ease with the arrangement.

Ravus blinked in frustration, his bland beta scent flaring up into the crowd. “And the reason we must wait for the prince’s entrance is…?” 

Regis sighed. His black king’s garments crinkled as he shifted in his seat. “I would like my son to witness our peace treaty talks. Especially since it seems part of your negotiations involve his imminent marriage. Is that correct, Chancellor Izunia?” 

Ardyn smiled again, letting his eyes go wide in eagerness. “Of course, your Majesty. Bring the prodigal son in our little plans, certainly! Is he aware of the marriage proposal?” 

“Yes.” Regis nodded, unsmiling and unenthusiastic. “I informed him after our last meeting. He seemed to want to…discuss the matter in person. With all of you.”

“Is he not pleased?” Ardyn asked. He tilted his head to the side in curiosity. Actually, he could not care less what Noctis thought about the wedding. It was all a rouse anyway to get Noctis out of the kingdom when Insomnia burned to the ground. Lunafreya would probably not survive the month if everything went according to plan. 

Regis glanced around to his retinue. Their eyes met hastily, skirting gazes that communicated quite a bit. No doubt.

The king closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was staring at Ardyn with the rock-solid gaze of a pissed off alpha. A lesser beta might have trembled in his seat, but Ardyn met his look undeterred. Intrigued, slightly. But unmoved.

“He is young,” Regis said aloud. “He needs…time.”

Ravus huffed audibly through his nose. Ravus had been against the idea of the marriage from the beginning. His sister Luna already presented as an omega after she met her **one** , an advisor named Gentiana (Ardyn was pretty sure this woman was actually Shiva, but. He didn’t have any definitive proof yet.) Marrying outside your true bond for political purposes was not unheard of. But it was very ill-advised. Most marriages of that type were doomed to fail no matter how hard anyone tried to prove otherwise. 

Yet these were desperate times! Ardyn argued. The public did not need to know that Lunafreya was already bonded. They could pass her changing off as something miraculous that happened in Noctis’s presence. And wouldn’t the kingdom love a perfect romance like that? 

Backed into a corner, the Lucians had agreed. But Regis was still unhappy with the idea and Ravus could barely contain his distaste. 

Wonderful. Ardyn liked poking at these sore spots without a care in the world. It was amusing to see the attachment Ravus had to his sister, and the attachment Regis had to his son. Then watch that attachment cringe when something unsavory happened. 

Over something as farcical as an arranged marriage. What did that even matter? What did any of it even matter? People in this day and age—any era, really—were so sensitive! How could they hope to overcome their hardships when small things like this sent them reeling?

_Small…weak…small…pathetic…hungry._ Was the daemons’ voice getting weaker?

The wide door at the entrance to the throne room opened. All eyes turned to the front of the room. A bespectacled man (young, barely older than Noctis) announced in a clear, resounding tenor, “Presenting Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, at the court’s behest.” The man bowed at the waist and stepped aside, letting his charge pass.

There he was. The True King. Everyone rose to their feet upon his announcement out of respect. Ardyn narrowed his eyes as he traced small figure walking towards them. Dark, dressed in all black (as was customary). Pale skin. Surprisingly pale. Almost glowing against the backdrop of the dark clothes and the dreariness of the throne room.

Was the room getting…darker? Ardyn’s ears rang with every footstep the prince took, the echoing against the tile suddenly too loud. And the lights…what the hell was happening to the lights? Ardyn glanced around. Everything had turned blue…as if there was some kind of indescribable blueness all of a sudden. An aura of deep sapphire. Bright and searching. Rippling like waves before his eyes...

The immortal blinked hard and shook his head to one side. He ignored all these strange signs and kept staring at Noctis. Eventually the blue in his eyes faded and the room reverted back to its normal state. The lights were on, same as before. Sunlight filtering in through the windows.

…Strange, Ardyn thought. (Had he indulged in some recreational drugs before coming here? He wondered. But no. Not that he knew of, and not in at least ten years…)

Prince Noctis walked to his father’s side at the long table where they were all seated. He bowed at the Niflheim guests—somewhat awkwardly, his posture was generally terrible. 

“It’s an honor to meet you,” Noctis said in a clear voice. Obviously scripted. “Thank you for agreeing to these talks so we can discuss peace between our two great nations.”

Then the young man lifted his head. His blue eyes—the same that Ardyn remembered from the pictures—bore a look of thundering rage. Hidden ever so slightly by some boyish arrogance. That look betrayed his words, even though it was apparent from the start that Noctis could not be less pleased about meeting with them. 

But those eyes…something inside crashed against Ardyn’s chest. Something beating, begging, scratching…scrambling…trying to get out. Ardyn felt his vision throb again, almost giving him a headache. He gripped the table to steady himself.

…What was this? The blood in his veins (normally slow-moving, present by default rather than necessity) felt hot. It rushed throughout his body in the strangest way. Like it did not know where it wanted to go, but it just needed to move. 

And oh. It was moving. Rushing all through him with boiling intensity, making Ardyn flush. He felt heat in his cheeks—a blush? But he had not blushed since he was a mortal…? 

What was happening to him? Some trick? Had he been drugged? But Ardyn had not eaten or drunk anything since arriving in the Citadel (indeed in the past few weeks or so). A spell then? Some of the Crystal’s magic…? 

Ardyn forced his eyes open, pretending that he wasn’t panting and nearly out of breath. That there was no sweat pooling at his temples or on his brow.

Noctis glanced around the table. When he laid eyes on Ardyn, the young prince balked suddenly. He gasped, twitching at the waist as if he was trying to bow again. But he stopped midway and rubbed fiercely at his eyes.

“…Huh?” Noctis asked quietly. He blinked in confusion, staring intensely at Ardyn and then glancing around at everything else. As if suddenly at a loss for what he was seeing.

And every time the prince’s eyes landed on Ardyn, the immortal’s insides lurched. He found himself shuffling to the edge of his seat, like he was being pulled forward. 

“Are you alright, Noctis?” Regis said, voice mixed with concern. 

“Majesty?” The bespectacled man rushed to Noctis’s side, hands hovering around the prince, ready to catch him should he fall in either direction.

“I’m…okay…” Noctis said slowly. His eyes fell on Ardyn again. “I think…” 

He was staring at the older man. Hard. Trying to figure something out. A million questions popping up all at once across his face. 

Then, after barely a minute had passed since Noctis walked through the door, Ardyn felt a stirring below the waist. Not just his cock, but behind. And inside, somewhere Ardyn had never felt any kind of pressure before. As if suddenly there was a space in there, a space that longed to be filled—

No. 

A heavy kind of panic filled the chancellor. No. It couldn’t be.

…Now? After all this time?

Because of… _him_?

Hatred and fear bubbled up in Ardyn’s throat. No. No no no no…impossible. He was not changing, he couldn’t—not after everything he had been through! Those years in the darkness, the way his soul had been so mangled, his very nature twisted towards the will of the daemons, turning him into whatever he was now…he could not change into _that_ … 

No. His **one** was dead. Had died a long time ago. It was the only thing that made sense. People’s soulmates were not born two thousand years apart, that would be ridiculous!

…But then, who had ever survived long enough to know that for sure? Wasn't it just like the Astrals, to orchestrate some kind of sick joke? Millennia separating a pair? And here was Ardyn, ever the butt of the Astral’s depraved humor…

Conversation continued on around them. Ravus fumed that if the charades were quite finished he would like to discuss terms. Noctis shakily pulled out his chair and sat himself at the table, eyes glued to Ardyn’s face. 

_Eyes…eyes…blue eyes…part of us? In here?_

For fuck’s sake. Even the daemons were confused. Ardyn felt their curiosity, hoping that their consciousness could detach him from his mortal body as much as possible. But really, the daemons were fascinated by Noctis. They were reading the prince, gathering evidence. 

They seemed to feel like Noctis belonged in their pile. In the massive, daemonic beehive that was Ardyn’s soul. 

How. 

Regis began speaking again. “We would like to discuss the terms of the marriage arrangement. Is this condition set in stone? Would it not be more prudent to let Noctis meet the Oracle in Tenebrae, spend some time with her before they are married? Give these young people some time to work out their future? The…necessary arrangements…”

Certainly Regis was talking about how Luna would need time with her **one** outside the marital bed. Such a thing was nonnegotiable, by their normal standards. Even if it was a forced marriage, Luna would require contact with her soulmate to keep her balanced.

Omegas who spent too much time away from their true mate were prone to fits of depression. There were such cases as when one in the pair died, or when the relationship was difficult and the two distanced themselves. But regardless, an omega’s mental health was in severe risk if they did not pursue a life with their **one.** And alphas went through emotional turmoil as well without regular contact, known to become disastrously impulsive. Aggressive and angry beyond any rationality. 

To say nothing of what happened when soulmates rejected each other…

But Ardyn was above all that. Let his mortal body twist itself into turmoil, reaching a fever pitch of anxiety because of that spoiled Chosen King. Ardyn was more than mortal. He would be fine.

He could ignore this. Stick to his original plan…

Forcing down the heat in his veins, Ardyn risked a glance up at the rest of the group. 

Noctis was still staring at him. Unflinchingly. 

Another throbbing wave of pain shocked Ardyn’s system. He bit back a groan. His stomach hurt horribly, right above his groin. So he wrapped an arm around his waist and pressed down, hoping to ease the ache.

And yet…pain? Was this actually pain or…? Something else?

There was a tingling sensation in Ardyn’s fingers. He felt his extremities shaking. That, whatever it was, definitely was not pain. That tingling almost tickled. It made him uneasy, unable to keep his body still. He shifted around in his seat uncomfortably. 

Ravus turned his head in Ardyn’s direction. His eyes narrowed distrustfully. “Chancellor? What are you…? What’s the matter with you?” 

Ardyn looked back at Ravus and for some reason automatically scented him. He needed to smell him, that’s what he needed. The light, unobtrusive beta scent wafting off the commander cleared Ardyn’s head a little bit. Ravus smelled like freshly cooked white rice. Steaming, soft. Entirely unoffensive. Ardyn scented him again, not entirely sure why anymore.

Of course Ravus noticed what Ardyn was doing. The white-haired man reared back in disgust. “Please control yourself, sir…” Ravus demanded, wrinkling his nose in distaste at being scented so lewdly. 

Ardyn kept Ravus’s scent in his nostrils and nodded. Even though his stomach was hurting beyond a point Ardyn could withstand—where he needed to lean forward to keep himself even slightly upright—that was fine. As long as he didn’t breathe…

…Because he could feel it. It was in the air. The _smell_. Noctis’s scent. Ardyn could feel the alpha’s pheromones on his skin and it made all the pain worse.

“Mmm…I…” Ardyn began, forcing his mouth to form words.

Bad idea. He could taste it. The scent in the air… It landed on his tongue and sent another throb through his body. 

Alright. Time to reassess the situation. With honesty this time. That wasn’t pain in his insides, wrecking him like some kind of torture.

It was desire. A harsh, quivering need. As intense as pain and just as debilitating. Ardyn was doing his best to fight it, to force himself to see the desire as unpleasant, but…

…Oh. He felt a strange sensation between his legs. Some kind of…moisture…

No. No no no no no why…. Why. Impossible. No…!

Ardyn clasped a hand to his mouth and nose, forcing himself not to breathe in anything else. He needed to get up, to get out of this room immediately—even if his legs felt sluggish with some kind of leaden, shaky yearning.

Then he heard a quiet sound. A sniffing, through the nose and through the mouth. His skin broke out into goosebumps in a semi-familiar way. Ardyn had been scented before. He knew what it felt like…

…With hazy eyes, gripping his face tight enough to leave marks, Ardyn looked across the table. He saw Noctis—the King of Light, drawing all the light in the room to him like some kind of holy messenger—sitting there, scenting him openly. Brazen and unashamed. Blue eyes gone wild with curiosity and…Ardyn saw it there…want. 

Just like that, Ardyn dropped his hand. His body was moving on its own. He could distantly hear the daemons inside of him moaning and bawling some kind of crazed song, eager and ready. That place in his chest—his heart?—ached.

He needed it. That scent in the air. He needed to taste it for himself…

Ardyn inhaled Noctis’s alpha scent in a rush of heavy air. 

“Nnngh…oh…” 

He heard some wanton moaning shaking the walls around the throne room. Was someone else just as effected as he was in that moment? Because… _damn_ …there were not enough curses in any language to express how devilish and cruel Noctis’s smell was.

“Ah…”

Oh wait. Ardyn realized, clasping a shaky hand to his forehead, that was his own voice. 

The needy sounds of an omega…

He tried to struggle to his feet, outraged with himself. But his legs were moving at a snail’s pace. And his treacherous nose and mouth…he could not stop greedily sucking down Noctis’s scent.

Salty. Fresh. Spicy with a hint of charcoal. Ardyn had a vision of the ocean, and then his mind supplied the missing ingredient. Meat roasting on an open grill, a sizzling barbecue on the shore. And something else…something cool and refreshing. A tall drink of cold water on a steaming hot day. 

Noctis was all these things. Tantalizing, comforting, sensual. Vivid. Every time Ardyn blinked he recalled an ancient scene from his childhood. Enjoying a cook-out on the beach with his family and friends. His parents laughing, his sister fighting with another boy over something. Waves and good food and sun. A hot summer’s day spent luxuriating in the splendor of nature. 

Such a suddenly vibrant memory. 

How…? How could Noctis remind him of that time, so long ago? That was perhaps one of Ardyn’s most treasured memories. Something he fought to forget, but that refused to dissolve away with the rest of his carefree years. A memory he was forced to lock away inside of himself, steadfastly ignoring…a speck of happiness amid the dark sea of his tortured existence. 

How could Noctis smell like that? It didn’t make any sense. The one tiny, legitimately innocent thing in his mind—how could Noctis awaken that part of him and make him relive that (despicable, hateful, wonderful, sweet) memory?

Ardyn lowered his hand and stared at Noctis in pure wonder. Such a beautiful, unnaturally attractive thing. What was this boy? Human? Or…?

His body shivered with unbridled hunger. Ardyn wanted to reach out and touch Noctis’s face. He wanted to feel the young man’s skin against his own, to rub up against him and scent him again. Closer, intimately. He wanted to push aside this table, these clothes, every barrier between him and Noctis. He wanted to drop to his knees and examine the prince’s hidden cock, probably already swollen with a burgeoning knot. He wanted to touch and taste and feel…he wanted to swallow Noctis, to feel him inside, everywhere…

Time slowed down. Everyone else around them was sitting there, deathly still. Unmoving, saying nothing. The moment was filled with enough dynamic tension that betas and alphas alike knew not to fuck with it. 

Then, another scent rose to the surface of the room. This one was much, much sweeter. Distinct. Dessert-like. Cream and sugar and some kind of fruit…Ardyn could not put his finger on the scent but he knew he recognized it from somewhere.

Underneath the sweetness was another smell. The undeniable scent of an omega’s pheromones.

At that, the mood shattered. Everyone around the table leapt to their feet, stirred into action at the sudden, surprising presence of an omega. They clamored around, all shouting at once. Noctis stood up as well, reaching out to Ardyn and saying something.

But Ardyn couldn’t hear him. It was far too loud all around them. Besides, the immortal was forcefully shutting down all his emotions. He needed to get out. Out. Air. He needed to leave before his body threw itself to the floor and begged for Noctis’s attention.

Oh…what an image. 

…Fucking hellfire. Ardyn still had some pride, even if his mortal side was running amok. 

He pushed himself to his feet and stumbled his way to the door. People called after him in a distant clatter, shouting back and forth. But Ardyn drowned out all the noise.

He began running. He did not know where. The Citadel was different than he remembered. The corridors snaked up and down like some unfamiliar maze. But it didn’t matter. He just needed space, more air. Distance. He needed to be somewhere that Noctis wasn’t, so he could put the pieces of himself back together.

But still, no matter how many steps he took, Ardyn could smell the ocean waves. He could hear his sister’s high-pitched laughter carried on the salty breeze. That memory faded in and out right before his eyes. Noctis’s smell. His alpha aura, making Ardyn imagine…

Dizzy, unsteady on his feet, Ardyn turned another corner. He ran smack into a maidservant, sending the young woman’s armful of laundry clattering to the floor. She cried out and took several steps back.

“…’m…apologies…” Ardyn muttered incoherently. 

He stumbled towards her unintentionally, still unable to think around the persistent ache inside him. She screamed and ran down the hall. Ardyn barely noticed.

Lower, deep inside. A place that longed for some kind of presence—for the prince. For the Chosen One. Fuck, he _needed…_

Burning desire wormed its way through every crack and crevice in Ardyn’s body. He was on fire. He was thirsty and hungry and shaking. He needed to be closer to that smell. He needed…he needed…

_Closer…not enough! Get closer! Merge…merge the scents…._

Ardyn tried to focus on the daemons’ voice to distract himself. But the daemons were no help. They were crying out, lost to their own self-destructive hunger. Their incessant lust and depravity…of course this would appeal to the godsforsaken daemons. 

In all of his long years, Ardyn could not remember hating his existence more than he did right in this moment. Everything, every single thing in this world, had conspired against him. 

And he was losing himself to this. This…omega heat. 

Disgusted with himself, Ardyn roared. Bitter with rage. He dissolved into a daemon’s snarl at the end, and he couldn’t even care if anyone was around to hear him. Unseeing, he bumbled into a wall. The wall stopped his ceaseless motion and Ardyn slid down to the floor in a heap.

This wretched, cursed life of his. Why. Why had he been given so many long years of nothing but pain? And now this. To be turned into an omega by the Astral’s favorite. Their Chosen One.

A crushing blow. Possibly the last and cruelest of them all. 

_In there, there!_ The daemons possessed his eyes and turned his gaze towards a door across the hallway. _Get in…there there there there there—_

Blindly, Ardyn followed the daemons’ urges. He crawled over to the door, latching onto the doorknob. Using dark magic to prop himself up, Ardyn struggled to his feet and opened the door.

_Yes, good. Here it is. Scent….scent….mmm._

As soon as Ardyn stood in the doorway of this room, he knew where he was. That scent—freshness and joy and _everything_ —was strongest here. A large, comfortable-looking bed sat in the middle of the room, perfectly made. A dresser and cloest. Clean to a ridiculous point. Obviously done by professional staff. 

But the smell…there was no way to get the smell out of the room. And no way to mistake it.

This was Noctis’s room. 

Ardyn blinked and his vision swam in blue again for a moment. 

_Noctis._

“Oh….”

Without thinking, Ardyn threw himself down on Noctis’s bed. The soft sheets combined with Noctis’s unique scent and Ardyn suddenly felt like he had lost himself to heaven. The quivering need inside him sighed in relief. At last. He had engulfed himself in his alpha’s scent, in a place that belonged to the prince and the prince alone. Ardyn rolled around on the bedspread, throwing his trademark hat and trench coat to the floor. He pawed against the bedspread until he reached the silken sheets underneath.

Yes, this…

The chancellor pressed his face against the pheromone-drenched fabric. He could picture Noctis so clearly in his mind, as if the young man was close enough to touch. 

_Touch…touch him…touch…_

Moaning into the sheets, Ardyn unzipped his pants and stuffed his hand inside. Finally, after what felt like forever living in agony, Ardyn gripped himself. He pulled his manhood out and shoved his hot, hard erection against the silk. 

“Nnnnh….ah, yes…”

Distantly, Ardyn was aware that his manhood felt different. Slightly…smaller. Not as pronounced, perhaps. 

…Well. Fuck. 

But more disturbing than that (somehow) was the slick dripping down his thighs, staining the back of his pants. Ardyn was wet. Soaked. He pulled off his pants in a mixture of disgust and honest need. So, he laid on Noctis’s bed in nothing but his high-collared dress shirt. His bare ass spread slick all over the sheets. 

And that was a good thing. Ardyn could smell himself—the sweet, hormonal scent he now recognized as his own—mixing in with Noctis’s scent leftover on the bedding. Their smells intertwined, creating something new that smelled like mating…like the delicious, soul-shattering sex between an alpha and omega…

Ardyn purred—was he purring? Oh shit, he was. An omega’s deep-chested purr—into the blankets. His hips rutted against the fabric, rubbing his aching cock into a silken little nest that smelled just like his alpha.

Relief mixed with intense pleasure coiled tightly inside the immortal. His hips jerked faster, fully humping the sheets with everything he had. Lost to sensation. Like an animal. Or…a daemon.

“N-noctis…” Ardyn mumbled against the pillows. Oh, here. It smelled like his hair. A wonderful, clean aroma. On a place where his alpha laid his head every night to sleep…Ardyn moaned outright and canted his hips faster.

The slick slid between his thighs, lubing the way for his erection. Making it slide against the sheets in the most exquisite way. Painful, slightly, because there was still some friction, but Ardyn didn’t care. 

He could get off like this. The chancellor took a breath and accepted that. He could come from nothing more than this sheets caressing him…especially if he closed his eyes and imagined the touch came from Noctis’s hands…

“Ah…ah!” That thought pushed him so close to the edge. 

At least—Ardyn’s distant, reasonable side proposed—it was better to take his pleasure here rather than from Noctis directly. Maybe these sheets would be enough. Maybe he could steal them away, take them with him back to his own den, where he could rub himself all day and all night. 

Until the need went away.

_Not enough. More. You need more…more…_

Gritting his teeth, Ardyn cupped his hard-on, stopping his hips for a moment. This was insanity. He knew that. But. He had no control over any of this. His body was making demands, forcing him to do these degrading things…making him _enjoy_ it. 

Because, fuck it all. This felt so good. Mind-numbingly good. Like every thought Ardyn ever had or ever would have went completely still. Only able to process where his skin felt some contact. His body twisted, searching for more. He wanted to drown here. In this pleasure, in this scent. 

He wished (far from the first time) that he could die. Then he might be able to die in bliss, strangled by the sheets of his **one.**

More slick spilled out of him in torrents. He could hear a squishing sound where his hips worked against the soaked fabric. Everything was wet. And his body was still so hard. Thoroughly, achingly hard. From his nipples to his cock to ass to every inch of his skin. So hard. Wanting…

“Ah…mmm…Noctis…!” 

He was very close to orgasm now. He could taste it, feel it in the clenching of his (now considerably smaller) balls. 

To hell with everything. He might as well come like this…

Suddenly Ardyn heard a pattering of footsteps roaming down the hall. They ran past the room and then promptly ran back towards it.

That should be worrying…Ardyn thought. But it barely mattered. He could not stop thrusting his hips now if his life depended on it—and even then, he probably wouldn’t be so inclined. 

So, when the door swung open, Ardyn just closed his eyes. He knew someone else was in there, watching him fucking the sheets. His ultimate shame. But he just couldn’t find the will to stop…

“Oh…I thought you might be in here. Actually…I really hoped you would be.”

Ardyn’s eyes flew open. There, like a dream in front of him, was Noctis. 

His alpha. His **one**.

Feeling Noctis’s presence wash over him, Ardyn broke out in goosebumps. He felt every hair on his body stand at attention—hard now like the rest of him. Trapped in a swirl of harsh pleasure—

He came. Ardyn spilled onto the sheets, adding to the wetness and the overwhelming sex smell. Now his and Noctis’s scents were truly merged right there on the bed. Feeling a satisfying rush right down to the marrow of his bones, Ardyn fell forward onto all fours. He propped himself up on his elbows and stared at Noctis, breathing heavily through his mouth.

_More._

More, really? His body still hadn’t had enough?

_No, more. He’s right there. Let him take you…take you…claim…merge…!_

“Nn…Noct…is…” Ardyn mumbled. Another wave of hot need rose up inside of him. He was hard again, immediately, if he had ever been soft. The only thing his eyes could see was Noctis.

Beautiful. Handsome. Strong. Magical energy twisting around his form so naturally. Gifted. A porcelain kind of beauty Ardyn wanted to cup in his hands and gulp down like water. 

He was dying of thirst. 

Swallowing hard (Ardyn watched in fascination as the young man’s throat bobbed), Noctis quickly shut the door behind him. He crossed the room in seconds, jumping on the bed alongside Ardyn.

“Nnnh, Noctis…you…it’s…” the immortal babbled. He wanted to come up with a coherent thought (after all, wasn’t that supposed to be his forte?) but his brain and his mouth were not working together. His body could just barely manage to process what it felt like being so close to his **one.**

“I know…” Noctis reached out, brushing aside Ardyn’s sweat-soaked, crimson bangs. “I know. It’s crazy….I feel it too.” 

Closing his eyes, Noctis brought his face right up against Ardyn’s and scented him hard. Following the alpha’s lead, Ardyn scented the younger man in return. They smelled each other thoroughly, answering a multitude of questions all at once. 

As a beta, Ardyn’s nose had never been particularly strong. But now, as an…omega, he felt as if he could detect even the slightest smells upon Noctis. He knew with certainty how long it had been since the prince last showered. He knew what the alpha had eaten for breakfast (cereal and buttered toast) as well as dinner the night before (roast brisket and soda from a can). Ardyn could even sense his prince’s thoughts. He knew by inhaling the air around his alpha what Noctis was thinking and feeling. 

Noctis was confused. Scared. Aroused, deeply aroused, at least as much as Ardyn himself. But more controlled. That desire roiled underneath the surface like a maelstrom. 

And hurt. His alpha was wounded and a little bit defensive. But why…? 

Oh. Ardyn realized the truth as if Noctis had said the words out loud. Noctis had been hurt when Ardyn fled the throne room. The young man did not know why his **one** had tried to run off. Was the prince inadequate? Displeasing in some way?

“No.” Ardyn shook his head hard. He needed Noctis to know…ah, too many emotions swarmed him. He gripped Noctis’s shoulders with both hands. Hot from the inside out, unable to think straight. “No, you’ve…done nothing wrong. I just…didn’t know what to do…I…I’m not…”

He wasn’t what? Human? Mortal? Young? Trustworthy? Good? Ardyn wasn’t any of that. But still, here they were.

Noctis nodded. His face was resolute as if he completely understood. “Yeah…it was so sudden…but, I’m glad you came to my room. I was worried you’d run away and that I’d never see you again.”

Ha. Ardyn wasn’t that strong, apparently.

Cradling the immortal’s face in two cool hands, Noctis pressed a kiss to Ardyn’s forehead. “But you’re here.” The alpha kissed him again. “I’m so glad. And I’m…sorry you were alone for a little bit there. That must have been rough.” 

Something in Ardyn’s brain twitched to life. Instinct. Some hardwired omega instinct that longed for Noctis’s devotion. Yes. He wanted his alpha to dote on him. To stay by his side every minute, until his heat faded into something livable.

Then Noctis crooned. A low, alpha cry designed to calm an omega’s nerves. A reassuring rumble from somewhere deep in Noctis’s chest.

Limbs quivering, Ardyn felt himself falling forward. He could not stop it. There was a magnet inside him and inside this young man, pulling them together with a force he had no hope of fighting. 

So, Ardyn collapsed on top of Noctis. He felt weary already. Needing more than anything for Noctis to put his arms around him. Hold him close, croon to him. 

_Yes. Close. Closer. Closer closer closer—_

The alpha obliged. He hugged Ardyn tightly against his chest. He crooned in one long continuous roll of noise. The older man pressed his face as close as possible against Noctis. He could feel the vibrations from his alpha’s cry reverberating through his face and then down through the rest of him. 

It soothed him. More like, it made his mind go blank. His worries from a few moments ago went silent. The chancellor felt, incongruously and for very little reason, that everything would be alright. As long as Noctis held onto him.

They stayed like that for a moment, letting the scents and feelings of the moment settle. After a minute or two, their frayed nerves relaxed. The hurt in Noctis’s aura went away and the sheer desperation and anxiety melted off Ardyn. The older man’s breathing evened out, the cacophony of daemons in his mind died down to a dull whisper. 

He was suddenly aware of his own body again. He felt dirty and wet and still so hot. Purring loudly, Ardyn pawed at Noctis’s raiment. The prince’s black suit, black shirt, and black tie. A regal affair. He wanted his alpha to take these things off. Why was Noctis still wearing clothes? They needed to be skin against skin, preferably now and more importantly for as long as possible. 

“You’re burning up,” Noctis observed, running a hand through Ardyn’s hair. “Here, let’s try to cool you down.” 

Propping the older man up into a sitting position, Noctis went to work on Ardyn’s dress shirt. He undid all the buttons carefully, then extricated the chancellor from his complicated shirt as gently as possible. There on the Chosen One’s bed, naked as the day he was born, Ardyn sighed. 

He could not hide from Noctis when he was bare like this. The truth of his body (an older man’s flabby, somewhat unappealing body) and his second gender was on full display. Noctis surveyed him from head to toe. His blue eyes widened in fascination, glowing dimly with a kind of spark that set Ardyn’s veins to boiling again. 

He wanted his alpha to appreciate the sight of him. Whatever he had to offer. Which, admittedly, wasn’t much.

…Shit, he was getting in deep. The rational side of Ardyn’s mind worried from some corner in his mind. He was bending to these newfound instincts. To these _desires._ He wanted Noctis to look at him, to take pleasure from looking. He wanted to lay down and forget that there was anything outside of this room. Outside of him and his **one.**

But no…the rational side protested. No, he couldn’t surrender everything. There were two thousand years of history in between them. A prophecy that demanded the destruction of the Accursed. An end to endless night. A kingdom to ruin, Astrals to defy. 

There was literally everything else in Ardyn’s life that prohibited him from accepting this sudden twist in his fate. 

He couldn’t…he should…

Noctis ran an appreciative hand down Ardyn’s flesh-padded chest. “You’re beautiful…” he murmured, voice taken aback. 

At that, Ardyn chuckled softly. “I’m old.” 

“…So?” Frowning in confusion, Noctis bent down and kissed Ardyn’s chest. Right between his pectoral muscles. He took some of the extra flesh between his lips and sucked on it happily. 

Ardyn twitched, shocks of pleasure simmering across his skin. He buried his hands in Noctis’s unruly hair and crunched those back locks between his fingers. That hair was soft like silk. Feathery. It smelled just as wonderful as Ardyn imagined.

Slowly, Noctis kissed his way down Ardyn’s stomach. He rubbed his face along every cushiony inch of the older man, crooning and groaning in deep pleasure. Ardyn could sense the prince’s arousal through their combined scents and it created a kind of feedback loop. His stomach tingled in joy knowing Noctis was pleased by his body. 

Oh…he wanted to lie back and let this boy do whatever he wanted to him…

But he shouldn’t…this couldn’t happen. Not like this. Not now, after so long.

Noctis raised his head. He glanced to the side, clearly sensing some tension in his omega. So he sat up again, letting his fingers dance along the sticky skin around Ardyn’s thighs. 

“You okay…?” Noctis asked curiously. They were both so hyper-aware of each other. It was impossible to lie. 

Ardyn shook his head. He should just tell Noctis the truth. Everything. Every secret of his past and his plotting, his whole truth. Then let the alpha decide for himself what he wanted to do. 

Yet…Ardyn grimaced as all his muscles collectively clenched in anxiety. Alright, he would admit it, fear. That was an instinctual fear. Borne from the omega side of him.

Because…the chancellor groaned as he realized his predicament. When a pair of soulmates met for the first time, it was said that they both entered a kind of hormonally sensitive state that relied solely upon acceptance by their **one.** If they were rejected by their **one** then…their bodies began to shut down. It was impossible to stop. For the omega, this usually meant they would die. For the alpha, they could pass into a coma or become so debilitatingly depressed or aggressive they departed somewhat from the strictly human realm. 

As far as Ardyn was concerned…well. The primal fear of being rejected by his alpha was still deeply ingrained in his psyche. He so desperately needed Noctis to accept him, in such a way that Ardyn could hardly form other thoughts. Self-preservation, really. But as an immortal…what would happen to him if Noctis did reject him, if he turned away in disgust? Ardyn would not perish, obviously, but…would he pass into a coma? Exist the rest of his immortal life as a physically useless husk? Live with the unthinkable pain of rejection by his soulmate for the rest of eternity…?

Such thoughts made Ardyn shiver. …That was bad. He could not…afford to let something like that happen. Hell, he would not wish such a fate on his worst enemy. (And, being that his worst enemy was Noctis, imparting such a fate was actually within his power.) 

More than that, Ardyn would need to fight his own genetic coding, his own humanity, that demanded he let Noctis embrace him. Mate him. Claim him, even, perhaps.

_Claim! Claim claim claim. Let him claim…_

So, the daemons’ vote was in. Ardyn sighed and laid back on the bed. His body felt weak, torn in a million directions.

“Hang on, let me get you something to drink.” Noctis stood up and walked to the mini fridge in the corner of the room. 

Against his will, Ardyn’s chest tightened in anxiety when he felt Noctis’s presence leave his side.

Alert and on edge, Ardyn watched Noctis pour a glass of cold water from the fridge’s tap. Smiling sheepishly, Noctis walked back over to his omega and offered him the glass. 

“It’s just water,” the prince promised with a slight smirk.

Ardyn’s lips felt dry with just a glance at that cool, fresh water. Normally the daemons balked at such a thing, but his body really was so incredibly overheated. He needed a drink.

The immortal gulped the entire glass down in one go. He felt the cool rush of liquid slosh through his body, clearing some of his darker thoughts. Handing the empty glass back to Noctis, Ardyn watched his alpha scurry back to put the glass away. He took in the full sight of his **one** from the back.

Nice, pert little ass. Slim waist. Skinny legs. An eager, unconfident gait. Infused with a scent from Ardyn’s childhood he could not shake from his nose no matter how hard he tried. 

Hmm. Ardyn supposed he could do worse in a mate.

“Feeling better?” Noctis asked, sitting against the edge of the bed. He left some distance between him and Ardyn, clearly letting the older man have his space if he wanted it.

But the immortal could sense that Noctis was equally as desperate for Ardyn’s acceptance. 

A little trill of power ghosted along Ardyn’s nerves. His cock twitched impatiently (never quite flagging, in fairness, but rejuvenated all the same). He wanted to see Noctis working hard to please him. Showering him with affection. Waiting on him hand and foot if Ardyn so desired…such was an omega’s right, after all. 

For the first time since he had been turned, Ardyn’s eyes shimmered with interest.

Noctis, of course, caught that look. He saw it and smiled back. “You know…” he began, inching slowly closer to his mate. “Your color was so dark…I didn’t even know what was happening to me. Deep red. Like…” Blood? “…fresh cherries, when they’re in season. Or something.” Oh.

Ardyn shook his head. Not entirely understanding. “What do you mean ‘my color’?” 

Noctis blinked gesturing with one hand. “You know, your color. They say that true mates see their **one’s** color blindingly bright when they first meet. It was…intense. Like that red was the only thing I could see for a few seconds.”

Ah. Ardyn honestly was not well-versed in soulmate lore. He had never explored the connection between mates in detail—well, not beyond what he could pay to watch. But he supposed the color thing made sense. After all, he had thought he was high on drugs when he first saw Noctis.

“…Did you see mine?” the prince asked nervously. He toyed with his fingernails, probably a nervous habit.

Ardyn’s mouth twitched in amusement. Right. Noctis was a man just turned twenty. Old enough in society’s eyes, but an infant by Ardyn’s standards. He had yet to come into his own…and oh. Ardyn wanted be there to watch that happen. First hand. In depth. Every second. 

“Yes,” Ardyn answered, sitting up and closing the distance between him and Noctis. “I did. Bright blue. Like your eyes, but brighter…” 

Why Noctis was comfortable sitting on this bed soaked with slick and cum was beyond the chancellor. But he was glad the Noctis seemed like he could not care any less about his royal raiment.

…Good. Because Ardyn was starting to feel the heat in his veins surge back to life. Another round of gut-wrenching desire building in his stomach and lower. 

Without really considering it, Ardyn passed his hand over Noctis’s torso. Dark magic rippled around the boy’s body and the black garments disintegrated like ash. Easy as anything. 

Now, finally, Ardyn could look upon Noctis’s bare chest. He trembled in excitement, skin suddenly longing for more contact. He ran his fingers over every inch of Noctis’s smooth, baby soft flesh. Just a little bit of muscle underneath there, but not too much. Mmm, Ardyn wanted to see exactly what this boy could do with such a body. Prime, at the peak of his youth.

His mouth watered as he recognized Noctis’s scent again. Waves tumbling lazily against the shore. Dipping his feet into the wet sand. Taking a full bite of just-grilled meat. 

_“Eat as much as you like now. You’re still growing!”_ A distant family member had said, giving him more food. 

Ah the memory. An entirely human sensation washed over Ardyn and he let himself name it.

Nostalgia. 

“Oh, um…thanks,” Noctis said, gesturing around at the ashes on the bed. He seemed a little surprised but not at all disturbed by Ardyn’s display of power. 

That was good.

Ardyn wrapped his hands around the back of Noctis’s neck. He slotted his face in close to Noctis’s, scenting as he went. He wanted to feel every fleeting emotion that passed across his **one’s** heart and mind. Interest. Curiosity. Desire. Nerves.

Well, it was high time they had a proper introduction.

The omega pressed his lips against his alpha’s. A million rushing pheromones passed between them. They came to life, reaching for one another. Touching everywhere they could reach. Noctis’s fingers climbed up and down Ardyn’s spine in a teasing way, while Ardyn cupped his hand over Noctis’s waist and traced circles along the prince’s hipbone. Light touches. Testing. 

Every bit of contact felt amazing. Ardyn did not know his spine was so sensitive. But he could taste his alpha in his mouth, as far back as his throat. He drank down the prince’s saliva as their kiss turned sloppy. 

“Mm…” Ardyn groaned. He liked feeling a bit of Noctis nestling down inside him. The prince’s spit, but still. It felt so distinct. A piece of heaven lodged in his chest.

Another trickle of slick slipped out of the older man. Noctis could smell it and he perked up right away.

“Ah…” the alpha sighed. He smiled lasciviously. “I’m gonna take such good care of you.”

“Nnnh…” Ardyn could not help more slick pouring out of his fluttering entrance. He wanted Noctis to take care of him so badly. 

“Lay back,” Noctis instructed.

Without a thought, Ardyn flopped down on his back. It hardly occurred to him that he was being obedient. He just wanted to do exactly what Noctis asked of him, to the very last detail. It sent small shocks of pleasure through him to do as his alpha requested. And if that was obedience, well then…

Noctis ran his palms up and down Ardyn’s legs. He palmed the older man’s stomach and chest again, those hands roaming everywhere. As if he could not get enough of Ardyn’s body. Just the feel of him. 

Ardyn threw his arms over his head and luxuriated in the attention. His cock was standing upright now, rising to meet Noctis. Still proud, even though it was now somewhat on the smaller side. Yet more…sensitive somehow. Ardyn could feel each passing breeze along the tip of his cock-head. It sent shivers down his spine. That had never happened before.

Letting out a broken sob, Noctis fell upon Ardyn’s waiting body. He kissed up and down the omega’s neck. There, tucked between the older man’s Adam’s apple and the downward slope of his throat was that small little patch of flesh. Ardyn knew what it was as soon as Noctis’s lips grazed the area, but…he was not ready for the reaction.

His entire body melted. He turned into some kind of pliable paste, hands pawing uselessly at Noctis’s shoulders. Wiggling helplessly, feeling his mind so very near Noctis’s. He could hear thoughts—actual thoughts, as clear as the daemons’ voice—rushing through his alpha’s brain. His focus narrowed until he lost track of his own body again for a moment and felt nothing but Noctis’s hands, mouth, and chest. The places where they were touching. 

“Heh, okay…” Noctis grumbled, edging on boasting. “So that’s your scent gland.”

“Mmm…” Ardyn replied, unable to say more than that. 

His cock was standing at full attention. The extra-sensitive tip brushed Noctis’s stomach and suddenly Ardyn felt like he might come. Again. From just a tiny touch right on the edge of his slit…

…Exactly how sensitive was his cock going to be from now on? 

It was a little frightening. 

Noctis grinned down at him from above. He was aware of everything happening to Ardyn. They shared complete transparency. Almost…too intimate for the older man’s taste. 

Licking his lips in anticipation, Noctis wrapped one smooth hand around Ardyn’s straining dick. He pumped Ardyn once, then twice. On his third stroke, he thumbed the tip right where Ardyn was feeling it the most. That clever little thumb made Ardyn’s mind explode…

He clenched his teeth and fought the orgasm that was dying to break through. He was over two thousand years old, damn it, he could last longer than this…

Notis rubbed soft circles around Ardyn’s cock-head. He pulled back the older man’s foreskin to give himself more access to the dripping, sensitive parts. 

Ah there—right there—

Breaking the last holdout of his will, Ardyn came again. He climaxed into Noctis’s waiting hand. Wetness dribbled out from between the prince’s fingers. Right away, Ardyn became addicted to the smell of himself on his alpha’s hands. That was where it belonged. 

And _fuck_. That orgasm just about made him pass out. He had to consciously remember to breathe afterwards. 

He was a mess. Cum, sweat, and slick poured out of him from every orifice. Noctis was still gripping his dick and now Ardyn was overly sensitive, twitching with his whole body when Noctis readjusted his hold. It almost hurt to be touched right now he was so ridiculously sensitive…

“N-Noct…no, not…it’s…wait, but…” Words tumbled out of Ardyn’s mouth in confusion. His hormones still demanded that Noctis mate him, but he did not know if he could take it.

How pathetic was that.

“Easy, omega, easy…” Noctis hummed, pressing down on Ardyn’s chest. 

The contact was a dominating one—for whatever reason, Ardyn felt his body loosen up when Noctis pressed hard on his sternum. He collapsed back onto the bed, limbs akimbo. 

“Calm down,” the alpha said with a small smile. “I’m probably gonna make you cum a bunch more times tonight. So just relax. I know you’re sensitive…”

Noctis passed his thumb over Ardyn’s cock-head in demonstration, making the immortal’s body clench in a brutal mixture of pain and pleasure.

“…but don’t worry. We’ll take it slow. I won’t push you too hard, I promise.” Noctis smiled reassuringly, reaching down to his pants and unzipping the fly. “Now lay back and enjoy it. Okay?” 

Ardyn’s eyes fluttered closed against the rush of relief that entered him at his alpha’s words. He knew Noctis was not the kind of guy to lie, to give false promises. He knew that somehow. Noctis had promised to take care of him, and Ardyn believed that. 

His young, kingly, honorable alpha. Ardyn smiled in satisfaction. He opened his eyes and regarded his **one** with warmth. “Such control…” he remarked. “Wherever do you get it from?”

Noctis shrugged with one shoulder. “Don’t know. I just…really don’t want to hurt you right now. So I’m using everything I have here. …You believe me, right?” 

“I do.” Ardyn nodded without hesitation. 

The prince broke out into a comfortable smile. “Good.” He pulled down his pants until he wore nothing but his small black socks and his boxer briefs. 

“By the way…” Noctis asked as he took off his socks. “What’s your name?” 

Ardyn huffed, suddenly remembering that Noctis didn’t actually know him. “Ardyn. Ardyn Luc—” He cut himself off on instinct. 

The truth was there on the tip of his tongue. Ready to come out. Everything else had been laid bare. Why not this too? 

Because…Ardyn knew he could not just divulge everything. Not now. Not yet. Too many risks and still…this was the Chosen One. His sworn enemy. He could not show his whole hand…could he? 

“…Just Ardyn,” the immortal finished roughly. 

Noctis blinked. Then he dropped his boxers, giving Ardyn a full view of his flushed alpha cock. Bright red. Thick and long, at least twice as long as Ardyn was now and easily three times as thick. The hint of a knot building right in the middle.

That knot. Ardyn quivered when he saw its outline. He knew, of course, that it would get much bigger. That it would lock them together once Noctis climaxed…and oh. Ardyn wanted to feel it inside of himself so badly it actually hurt. His stomach ached now, longing for that sweet cock to brush up against his insides. To fill him and silence the persistent need ringing in his veins to be accepted. To be mated…

He quickly swallowed to stop himself from drooling. But the older man could not stop the little purr of appreciation that escaped his lips. 

Noctis got down on his knees between Ardyn’s legs, pushing them aside like pillows. He hovered over the reclining man on the bed and said, “I know you’re lying…it’s not good to lie you know.” 

Ardyn could not tear his eyes from the sight of Noctis’s virile member. So tall and proud. He was leaking slick at an alarming rate, a large puddle spreading out underneath him. 

Of course, Noctis could always make Ardyn tell the truth. Alphas possessed that ability. They could push their essence outwards and force any amount of truth or confession out of a weaker dynamic. Especially an omega, especially their bonded mate. 

They both knew that. 

Ardyn took a shaky breath and prepared himself for what that would feel like. To be forcefully compelled to speak…beyond his will.

“But it’s okay.” 

…? Ardyn glanced up at Noctis, confused. Even more so when he saw the calm, warm look on his alpha’s face. Not harsh or demanding. Not the controlling push of willpower and essence he had been expecting. 

Noctis bent down and kissed Ardyn’s cheek. He hooked his hands under Ardyn’s knees and raised the immortal’s legs, putting himself into position. 

“You don’t have to tell me yet if you don’t want to,” Noctis continued. “I already think I know a little about you….like, you’re a lot older than you tell people, right? Like, really old somehow?”  


Ardyn shook his head, not understanding how Noctis could know that.

The prince shrugged. “You just…smell like you’ve been around a while. Not in a bad way, I mean. Like, it’s good. You’re from a different era. I can feel it. But…” Noctis inhaled deeply, right at the apex of Ardyn’s thigh. His nose in that spot made Ardyn tremble. “…Something bad happened to you. I don’t…” he smelled again. “…know what. But something bad.” 

Noctis shook his head. “It feels painful. I can feel it a little bit, too, you know? Like everything else. And I want to help. So, you can tell me whenever you’re ready, okay?” 

Ardyn opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Unruly feelings swamped his throat and mouth, stopping his speech. He had no idea what the proper reaction was in this kind of situation.

That Noctis had some kind of immutable power over him (which he did) and yet would somehow choose not to use it…out of kindness. Appreciation. Respect.

A strange feeling filled Ardyn’s chest. It felt warm, but for some reason Ardyn was afraid of it. He knew he could not let himself feel too much of this thing, or…

…Something else might change in him.

Moving on, Noctis sniffed the air happily. “Mm….you smell like pastries. Like the Tenebraen cakes I used to eat when I was a kid.” Noctis’s blue eyes sparkled. He dragged his cock lightly across Ardyn’s waiting, already yawning, entrance. “It’s my favorite smell. That’s how I know you’re my **one.** And I’m not afraid of you, no matter what you are. Whatever it is…” Noctis shook his head. “It’s fine. I’m your alpha, so…I’m still gonna be there for you. Protect you. All that. No matter what.” 

Hot tears pricked Ardyn’s eyes. He closed his eyelids before they could fall.

_It’s him. Let him take you. Take you good and hard! Claim…claim…_

“Is that okay with you?” Noctis asked quietly. 

Ardyn swallowed his emotions. He knew his hormones were running out of control and there was overall a lot going on right now. But he could tell that he was not feeling sad. He felt…a kind of deep-rooted joy. Something innately human and deeply comforting. Something that he had not experienced yet in all his long life.

“…yes,” Ardyn consented finally.

Noctis would take him. Daemons, Scourge, and all. 

Sighing in relief, Noctis rubbed his dick against Ardyn’s hole, nestling himself inside a little. He murmured some words of encouragement, especially when he felt Ardyn clenching up. But the older man was not tight with anxiety. He was tight with unbearable excitement.

“Yes, take me…you fucking beautiful boy…take what’s yours and ruin me for anyone else…do it, please, ah…do it…” 

Now that it was out of him, Ardyn could not stop giving his consent. His mind had made itself up. If this was to be his fate—to be bonded with the insufferable Chosen One, who treated him like a living person in spite of everything—then so be it. 

Ardyn could roll the dice one more time. The odds were probably in his favor, considering what he could sense about Noctis. Even if Noctis was probably totally incapable of saving Ardyn from what he already was, it didn’t matter. The acceptance was enough. 

And it was well worth a gamble on the rest of his future..

So, Noctis did as he was asked. He pushed himself all the way inside of Ardyn, unable to hold back now that he was connected with his **one.**

They stayed like that for a few seconds, adjusting to the feeling. This was all completely new to both of them. Sex as a bonded pair. But they could feel their connection seeping through the rest of their bodies, not just where they were fucking. But everywhere.

Ardyn could feel Noctis deeply inside of him. Edging towards his center. Brushing against his sweet spot (had his sweet spot grown in size during all this? It felt bigger, all-encompassing), pleasuring every inch of his inner walls. 

“Oh, you’re so wet…” Noctis moaned, dropping his head down on Ardyn’s shoulder. “Feels so good….”

His body clenching and releasing over and over again in the throes of pleasure, responding to every thrust, Ardyn watched his young lover fall apart while he fucked him. Noctis’s eyes rolled back in his head, his promises of control evaporating as he lost himself to the unique ecstasy of mated fucking.

But that was alright. Ardyn could take it. The pretense of gentle cuddling was gone and Ardyn could not bid it goodbye fast enough. He wanted Noctis to take what he needed. All of it.

“That’s it…” Ardyn moaned, wrapping his legs around Noctis’s waist, forcing the young man deeper inside of him. “Give yourself to me…I want you…I want…ah, Noctis…more…”

_More, more, just like this…_ The daemons cheered loudly.

“Everything….everything, I promise…” Noctis moaned. “It’s all yours. My **one.** Mine. Mine…mine….” 

Mmm, his prince had a little possessive streak. That suited Ardyn just fine.

As they reached their climax, Noctis’s mouth hovered over Ardyn’s scent gland. He knew what came next. The biting, the claiming. Showing the world with his mark and with his scent that he belonged to someone. 

“Can I…?” Noctis asked, lapping wildly against the little patch of flesh. 

Ardyn turned his head to the side. He knew he should be saying no, but. That option had passed before they started fucking. 

“Yes, Go ahead. Claim me, you prince of light… _claim_ _me_ …” 

He was not entirely sure if his voice came out human there at the end.

But Noctis bit him anyway. There. In that instant, as soon as Noctis’s teeth sunk into Ardyn’s scent gland, they were mated. Their souls clicked together in a rush of heat and wind and harsh pleasure. Ardyn felt his miserable soul—such as it was, mangled and twisted from his two thousand years of living for nothing but spite—reaching out to Noctis’s pure white essence. He felt indescribably ashamed of his own soul, in that moment. 

Still, Noctis’s soul intertwined around his own. They merged without a second’s hesitation. The purity of Noctis’s essence filled in the missing cracks and deformed edges of Ardyn’s soul. There was so much of Noctis—so much light—and so little of Ardyn, worn away over the years. They complimented each other. What other soul could have accepted Ardyn’s darkness, and who else could withstand the uncompromising harshness of Noctis’s light? 

They bonded.

Feeling the heavy weight of their bond, they opened their eyes. Seeing each other again—alive—on the other end of that merge was enough. They climaxed together. It lasted a long time, rippling back and forth between their connection on a loop. 

“Thank you, ah I love you…”

“I love you…you’re mine now…”

“Yes…I'm yours...”

“Mine…”

They passed out just as Noctis’s knot sprang to life, locking them together for the reminder of the evening.

_____________________________________________________

Some time later, Ardyn awoke underneath a sea of blankets. He blinked, feeling the presence of an alpha’s knot buried deep in his ass—no, _his_ alpha’s knot. 

Noctis.

Ardyn reached out for Noctis with his essence. Sure enough, the young man was pressed against his back, arms wrapped around his chest. For some reason, Ardyn was not surprised by that fact. He had fallen asleep knowing that Noctis was inside him—bonded to him—and that they would wake up the same way.

_He’s ours now. Inside. Here. Forever, good._

Even the daemons were pleased. Ardyn purred comfortably and laid back against his alpha’s chest.

Noctis fluffed up the pillows around Ardyn’s head. “Need anything else?” he asked.

What else could Ardyn need, though? The prince had already clearly built a blanket nest around the omega. 

“No, I’m fine…” Ardyn said sleepily, shaking his head. 

“Good.” Noctis stroked his fingers through Ardyn’s wavy crimson locks. He nuzzled the side of the older man’s face and licked the slowly healing claiming mark on Ardyn’s neck. 

It hurt, but it also tingled with a wonderful kind of rightness. 

They lingered like that for some time. It was almost easy to believe that the rest of the world had been drowned out, that this was their reality from now on. 

Oh how Ardyn longed to believe that. But eventually—sooner rather than later—Ardyn would need to tell Noctis about himself. Everything. He even wanted to. Now that the fear of rejection had passed, Ardyn felt he could not bear the secret any longer.

Footsteps echoed outside in the hallway. Some people had been shuffling there for quite some time. Ardyn could smell them. He was hyper aware of their presence because of how close they had come to his mating nest. And here he was, lying in the prince’s arms, so vulnerable. He instinctively did not want anyone else to see him like this except Noctis.

There came a knock at the door. “Majesty, I—”

Without warning, Noctis broke out into a fit of bare-toothed growling. He hissed and spit at the door in warning, wrapping his arms and legs around Ardyn protectively. He even yelled out some nasty words at whomever had tried to intrude.

“Enough, Ignis,” a familiar, older man’s voice said outside. Regis. “He’s still in the mating process with his **one.** We’ll save the questions for another time.”

Noctis waited until they retreated to relax. He crooned in pride and reassurance, huffing Ardyn’s scent gland to calm his own nerves.

Such alpha behavior, the immortal noted. Indeed. 

He smiled. But of course. This was his _mate._ Ardyn looked behind him, eyes fixated on Noctis’s gorgeous face. He did not see the Chosen One any more. He barely even saw a prince. He saw only his **one.**

He could tell him everything. The past, the present. Maybe they would even discuss the future. Ardyn cleared his throat and began in a low voice.

“Let’s start with my name…” 

 

 

 

~~~End~~~

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah. I think Ardyn has become my spirit animal. (And to think, there was a time when I shied away from writing demon sex with Ardyn as a focus...) I wanted a story where Noctis loves Ardyn for everything he is, daemons and all. :)
> 
> Remember that time I wrote porn and kept it to a reasonable length? Because I don't!
> 
> Peace and love dear FFXV fandom ^__^ Thanks for checking this out!


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